Green Eyed Monster - Colours Part 5
by Awatere11
Summary: So Indigo is settling into routines and everyone is OK with the new member of the team … right? Cue that Green Eyed Monster. Some people still have to accept this new development.
1. Chapter 1

"Come in and take a seat" he said without looking up from the file he was reading. Once the person he had issued the challenge to had accepted, he looked up, "Glad you could make it. It's only three hours after I requested your presence."

"I had chores."

He snorted softly "Right. Of course. Chores."

Silence as he signed the report and placed it aside, choosing another which was opened like he really wasn't interested in what he was about to tell his visitor.

"It has come to my attention that you and your parental have issues" he flicked a page over and ignored the slight tic of the eye that he may have witnessed had he glanced up. Instead he continued to speak "I understand your anger. After all … you needed him and he was not there. You had to become the person you are without his guidance, without his love. You look at him now and feel …. Jealousy."

"No. I do not begrudge him the happiness he has found" came a calm reply.

He grinned, flicking another page "Nice. Said with such vigour and reserve. Practice that did you?"

He looked up, took in the tic he could now see and looked down again. He got no satisfaction from this, not that he would admit that "So. You believe it was all his fault then?"

"No. My mother … my mother seems to have embellished slightly"

The snort came without warning and he swallowed it with a sigh "Ah. Yes. You now see that she may have waxed lyrical a bit?"

"She told me that he left us, that he … he … didn't want our life. Wanted his career more. Wanted a spot on this boat!"

He closed the file and leaned back.

"And you believe this?"

"Yes. I do … I mean … I did"

"Your mother is not a bad woman, nor a vindictive one. She merely wanted to protect you from the truth that your father chose a dangerous path that almost placed you in danger. The only way to protect you was for her to either go with him and stick close, or cut him off. She chose the easier path. No blame there, a single woman with a young child … of course she was bitter"

"She … I realise now she told me some untruths. I chose to believe them, I chose to accept my parental did not love me enough to stay, did not care enough. Left me for …. Well. The other life he wanted more."

"Untruth" he repeated as he stared across the desk "An… untruth. What a polite way of saying a lie. She lied. Your mother lied. You can say that you know, it doesn't have to linger on your tongue, not between us. For we both love him, both ache for his smile. Both wish we had him more, longer … without these … untruths between us."

"I watch him with the other two, with Rhiannon's children and I see the parental he would have been for me … the parental he is" the admission so softly spoken he almost didn't hear it and he grunted. Then motioned for a continuation of the conversation. This seemed the most they had spoken so far and he was hopeful that they might find common ground, find an easier way to pass one another with less feelings of annoyance.

"You accused me of jealousy … maybe there is some" came a final agreement that startled him enough to show it briefly, the soft laughter telling him his face betrayed him.

"So I am right. You begrudge his happiness now with the child you wish to be?"

"No. You still don't get it do you" the sigh almost a huff "I am jealous of you."

Now he is the one looking confused.

"You have him. His attention, his love his …. Time. Time I will never have" came a sullen sniff "All those times I wished him to be there, beside me where he was needed. All that time he was making his way to you. You. Why are you more than my mother? Why am I less than Indigo?"

"It's …. Oh. Wow. You really think the love he has for Indigo is more than the love he has for you? Really? You … you are young. You do not understand. When you have lived as long as I have you will learn that love is not a one size fits all and love is not more for a child you hold daily compared to a child you miss and mourn as if dead. Shame on you for thinking as such. When you have more than one child to juggle you will see … there is no real favourite. Only different loves."

"So what now?"

"Tonight you take a seat at our table and we will break bread as one family. We will set aside the past …. Untruths… and accept a new way forward without need to dwell" he offered a peace pipe "I will forgive you for hurting him with your public displays of separation in the past and you will forgive him for being happy in the life he fought hard to protect. Does every day."

"I understand"

"Good" he rose and offered Alice a hand "Take my hand and agree."

She did without thinking and the bolt of electricity made her gasp as her back arched, then he released her. She staggered back, rubbing her palm with horror.

"And so the bond is complete" Ianto said softly. "Boeshanninan. Time you woke up to that blood in your veins."

"Yes …. Tad" she whispered with awe.

Finally she saw that her anger and jealousy she had felt these past months had been foolish. This man would not take her place at her father's side, nor would his son take her place in his heart.

Boeshanninan.

This man would love her as his own.

As is their way.

She had been foolish, hadn't she.

"Come on poppet" Ianto finally smiled, the warmth filling the room "It's OK. We all need time to adjust, and we Boeshanninan are known for our long thought processes. Just look at your father. Still getting up the nerve to introduce me to his mother. Still pretending she is dead so he doesn't have to."

Alice started to giggle as she watched Ianto grimace and she accepted his arm as they started to walk to the mess.

Seems everyone was a bit touchy lately.


	2. Chapter 2

2

Jack was surprised and delighted when Ianto entered with Alice on his arm, her voice calling out to Stephen as she motioned for him to join the captain's table. "We are eating at Dad's table love."

BJ moved to make room and soon Jack found his entire family seated around the table, Indigo squealing as he saw his Dam settling close enough to gain his attention. Ianto calmly plucked the child from Jack's lap and kissed the chubby little cheek, then settled the baby in his lap, Indigo was now four weeks old and not only was Ianto back on full duty, this little baby was showing his Boeshanninan roots by already holding his head up and sitting with little coos and squeals of interest.

Dafyd was watching silently as Stephen reached across to cluck at the baby and he frowned, Ianto catching the look and pausing his meal to raise eyebrows. Not another one. But then Dafyd smiled and pointed, Ianto seeing that he was not frowning at BJ, but across the room at a child who was eating with his fingers. Ah.

Ianto was well aware of the green eyed monsters stalking the room, even if his family were oblivious to his unnerving gift. He knew Gwen ached for a child even as she pretended she was not ready. Rhys slathered but respected her, both of them dancing around the subject even as they snatched Indigo whenever possible and Rhys held him tightly.

BJ was still unsure of the two children he had long considered someone else's, now finding them to have become siblings was hard. Almost as hard as accepting he was not the oldest. Alice alarmingly older and as intimidating as the father she sits next to now.

Stephen used to having his mother to himself now adjusting to having to share with this large group and of all of them Ianto knew the one who was secretly most jealous was … Jack.

It was touching really, don't get me wrong it was also annoying but …. So sweet that Jack wanted to cloister him away and not share. Ianto would have thought Indigo would be the subject of his intense love but to find it was still him … still Ianto that Jack wanted to be near made Ianto aware of the simple fact that had it been Indigo he may not have bonded as deeply.

Ianto had his own little green eyed monster hiding deep inside and he was not afraid to accept that. Jack was his, all his and even sharing him with the crew felt like a tug at his heart sometimes.

"I don't know about anyone else, but I think my Captain and I will retire after the meal for some bonding time" Ianto said boldly, everyone tittering softly as Jack beamed with delight.

He was pleased Ianto was still looking for affection, still wanted him in their bed. The Boeshane way is to give time to the baby. After a new born comes along there is a time where the dam and child bond, the other parental is to protect and provide from a distance. To know Ianto still wants him close, his affection and touch … was pleasing and Jack saw with quiet surprise that he was a little jealous of that special smile Ianto gave Indigo. One just for him. It might have been more if not for the fact Ianto had a secret smile for him too, one that was more… sexy.

Ianto canted his head "A chocolate drop for your thoughts."

"Just thinking how sexy you look in that red tunic love" Jack smiled and Ianto blushed happily, those watching pleased to see the love flowing between the two men.

"Do I look sexy too?" Mica asked innocently and Jack snorted with mirth as he turned to look at her, the little pink tunic a parody of Ianto's.

"My darling, sweetest little angel" Jack crooned, "If I ever … EVER catch someone thinking of you as anything other than perfectly pretty I shall poke their eyes out so they never see anything pretty again!"

She beamed with delight, even as Rhiannon sniggered softly at the imagery. Alice smiled softly at the little girl knowing this was a chance for her as well, "I think you are very pretty. I love your hair."

"Thank you sister" Mica said happily, "I like your smile. So big and loving, like Daddy Jack's."

"Thank you Mica. I think you me and Mama are very lucky that we are destined to be pretty and powerful" she said gently "best we stick together."

"I agree" Mica sniffed, "the boys all smell anyway…oh … not you Indigo, you smell lovely. Most of the time."

Everyone laughed as the baby grinned at her and Mica felt a swell of delight as her beloved uncle-Taddy placed the little one in her arms, kissing her head as he said he was heading to get some desert and it was her turn to mind the baby.

She wanted one so bad.

She was so jealous.


	3. Chapter 3

3

Ianto was in the school classroom, singing softly as he encouraged the children to join in. Learning that they still feared punishment for subversive behaviour had hurt him to the core and he was determined to let them feel the freedom of being themselves.

Loudly.

"Come on" he called out, the guitar suddenly banging out the tune he had been quietly plucking and several children rose from their seats to belt out the song, others joining as one or two continued to look horrified. In time they showed they all knew the subversive song about a rainbow and as they revelled in sharing it other parentals entered with interest as Torchwood piped the sweet voices around the vessel.

The lesson over, Ianto packed away his prized guitar, rising to leave but finding his way blocked by a large man he did not know, someone from engineering who did not socialise.

"I want that" the man snarled as he pointed at the guitar case.

Ianto blinked, then realised he was not in uniform as this was down time and he glanced over to where Indigo was asleep in his little capsule, being doted on my many who were not looking in his direction then he looked back to the man who had no idea who he was addressing in such a rude way.

"No"

The man blinked, then snorted like he thought Ianto was joking, reaching for the guitar case as he shoved Ianto hard in the shoulder to bounce into the wall.

Ianto pulled the guitar case back and Ianto knew it would take the knock in the sturdy case as he swing it up, catching the man in the gut then he dropped the case and followed though with a right hook that spun the man into the wall, following it with a body slam against him with a snarl of rage "Ever touch me again and I will cut your fucking hand off then shove it up your arse!"

Then the man was gone, two of the other parentals having seized him and they were dragging him from the room as the children looked on with open fear, Ianto kneeling to address them, assuring them he was OK and the man was simply rude. "He needs to learn manners. No one will harm him but he will get a talking to. I will not abide rudeness on my boat, OK?"

"YES SIR" they all bellowed and he rose with a soft smile.

"Well done, tomorrow I will come back and maybe have a new song for you to learn, yeah?"he offered and they cheered as he nodded to Alice, then lifted the guitar case again, walking out to place it on the small travellator sitting outside the door, turning to find Alice behind him with the capsule. "Thank you love."

She smiled as she handed the baby over and watched her … parental… lock the capsule in place beside the driver's seat and Ianto turned, kissing her cheek before sitting behind the controls to power along the corridor "See you at evening Mess?"

"Yes Tad" she said happily watching until the small vessel like a golf cart in steroids turned a corner, then she went back in to address the children.

"OK. Who can tell me what they are thinking" she challenged, as she did most days. Hands went up and she chose.

"Taddy Ianto should have whomped him harder!"

"OI that's my Da!"

"Your Da is a dick!"

"OI!"

"Stop that" Alice scolded then snorted as the man's son finally shrugged and admitted his Da had been a dick.

"Yes, but not all his fault. He never leant did he. You are so lucky, he did not know this sort of good time as a child. We must give those with less manners some patience, they have to learn, just like us" she nodded "Why he is going to tell the Captain and let it go. Don't worry Hevvif, your father will not be punished for this. He did not know Tad was Number 2. He was not in uniform and as your Da has to learn please and thank you … my Tad will forgive him."

"Your Tad?"

"Yes. The Captain is my father, my real Dad. Now he and the FO are a couple, bonded and together, he is my other Parental now. He is my Taddy. Just like Indigo. Just like Mica and Dafyd are now my siblings. Steven does not have to call them uncle and aunty though, that would be too weird." She laughed as the children saw the funny side and laughed as well.

As they do, they accepted this.

Alice looked to the doors and hoped her father did not lose his shit at learning Ianto had been challenged. He was his after all and so precious, with or without the added baby aspect.

She looked over at her son who was re-enacting the attack with Dafyd and smiled softly, feeling that slight burn of sorrow that her own mate had been so lacking.

Why couldn't she be loved too?


	4. Chapter 4

4

Jack finally noticed something was happening as his daughter entered the Captain's Berth with a bunch of bright coloured paper flowers, heading straight for Ianto with her face glowing with pride "Look, the kids made these for you!"

The pretty flowers had taken hours of careful folding and were so precise there was no way children's clumsy fingers could have done it. Alice must have spent the entire afternoon on the task to please her Parental who was looking tired and drawn from the breastfeeding that would too soon be done as his son hungrily suckled. A special bonding time that would be one as his son grew far too quickly. Ianto wished it could always bee this level of intensity between them. Sometimes he got lost in his son's gaze. Ianto looked up from the baby he was feeding, his face lighting up as he took in the pretty arrangement "Oh sweetie! They look so lovely. Here … he needs a burp. I will get a vase for them."

Ianto rose and placed the limp baby into her arms, then buttoned his tunic as he rushed for the kitchenette, Alice sitting to place the baby on her shoulder and hum softly as she patted the little back of the sweet boy.

Jack closed his mouth, realizing it was open.

"Hello Sister Alice" Mica said as she wandered past from the adjoining door, "Taddy? Mama sent me to get that bottle of Carbergoif for polishing the desk top!"

"Under the sink" Ianto replied, pushing a series of buttons on a keypad to unlock the cupboard, his baby proofing top notch. "Here you go my little love."

She kissed his cheek, accepting the bottle and skipped off, leaving Ianto on his knees smiling softly "Shame they go through that stage of not wanting to show affection. Dafyd is already there, she will follow and I will have a terrible time of no kisses until Indigo is old enough to instigate them."

"Awwwwww, poor Taddy" Alice said with a syrupy voice and he laughed as he rose, poking his tongue at her.

"Is that a new colour?" Jack asked and Alice checked where he was pointing.

"Turquoise" Ianto said as he settled back in his chair "It's a turquoise blue. Did you know there was a sea that colour on earth once?"

"Really?" Alice asked settling next to him with interest.

"I saw photos. Apparently it was so pretty you could lose yourself" he nodded "Also … I once knew a girl with eyes that colour."

"Did you like her?"

"Very much. She married my best friend, they were a lovely couple" Ianto smiled, then sighed as he rose from his seat "They died together in one of the storms. It was quick at least, they knew and had time to cling to one another before …. I made sure to mark the spot. I dreamed of their faces in those last moments for years. I just couldn't reach them fast enough."

"Oh gods" she said softly "I am so sorry."

"It's OK, it was years ago. BJ was just a baby" Ianto said then smiled down at the baby "Yeah, just like you. Small and cute and pooey! Yeah!"

"My turn" Jack said as he rose and took the baby "Come on stink. Daddy will show his mad skills."

Ianto sat again and Jack looked back in time to see Alice lean into Ianto and Ianto's arm slide around her to cuddle her close, then a gentle kiss to her cheek that was full of love. He felt a moment of annoyance then felt it slide as he felt shame in feeling any level of jealousy in his daughter seeking affection form another. After all … it was Ianto. Right? The one person in this boat that he should feel comfortable about sharing his daughter with. Right?

Jack pondered and wondered if that was the real problem, or was it sharing Ianto with her? This was like a virtual minefield, the dynamics of a blended family with hormones still raging and Jack finally accepted that he was altered by his little son's arrival as well, his need to protect strong.

A good father.

Yes.

Ianto had said so, hadn't he?

Jack placed his son on the little change table an looked down into those amazingly blue eyes as Indigo stared back, then smiled with the gummy glee of a little one who was filling his pants some more.

"Your Tadda is right" Jack chortled "You are a stinker. My little stinker and you are so perfect"


	5. Chapter 5

5

Ianto decided that the vessel needed a bit of calming down, Indigo had stirred things up and it had been a slow boil but now the heat was noticeable. He decided on a family meal in quarters, setting the table with practiced precision as Jack entered form the bathroom to stare.

"Big table."

"Yes" Ianto replied sagely, the furniture moved back to accommodate a table larger than usual, a boardroom one. He continued to set places and Jack counted with interest.

"You, me, Dave, Mimi, Rhia, BJ, Alice, Steven …"

"Owen, Tosh, Gwen, Rhys, Suzie and Andy" Ianto finished as he continued to move around the table. "Fourteen."

"Big"

Ianto turned to face him "They need a reconnect, a refocusing if ya like. We have been busy with work and Indy, they need reassurance that they are still part of the mix here, they need to know they are still family too"

"Things between you and Alice are better lately" Jack decided to broach the subject.

She was jealous, I didn't see it" Ianto shrugged, "I feel badly now, not realizing she felt so left out. She is a good woman, has your sense of maddening humor and … she is lovely. No mate. She is patient but fears she will never find one that suits. The first such a failure, her only shining light is the boy."

"I fear she is too much like me" Jack sighed "Intimidating. Most men run."

"Yes" Ianto sighed, as he rearranged place names until satisfied "But there will be one who is not afraid of a little dominating out there. She needs to know that too."

"And Suzie?"

"Needs to calm the fuck down. SO militarial, she does not want a mate, or to breed so she infects everyone with negativity to hide the fact she is a little sad about that. Indy has made her feel … motherly and she does not entirely like it."

Jack snorted and then turned as the chimes announced visitors. They came. One by one the chairs were filled and Ianto fussed happily, the baby passed around the table along with the dinner rolls as he cooed and laughed, enjoying the attention. He was his father's child and showed it with that engaging smile and grabby hands. Finally Alice had him and was laughing softly as he tugged at her hair and stared at her.

Andy leaned over her shoulder from the next chair "You are a cheeky beggar. Look at you!"

"I always wanted more" Alice whispered "I thought I would have more. A girl or two."

"Yeah, I never thought I would end up militarial, I began training as an early childhood provider ya know, then my father demanded I enter the cause when my brother fell in battle " Andy said as he took his turn at the clutch "I love kids. It broke my heart accepting that I would never find a mate or experience this. What the perfect thing you are little beast. What a wonderful gift."

Alice and he began to talk kids, their faces animated as were their hands as they both flapped and chortled about things they had seen kids do. Ianto watched silently and then he watched Alice reach over to place more food on his plate, his face one of surprise and …..YES… interest.

Jack noticed Ianto watching and glanced down the table at his daughter as she then scolded Andy and placed a napkin in his lap, Andy accepting it was a soft smile.

Huh.

Jack looked at Ianto.

Ianto looked at him and raised one eyebrow, then went back to the stoic conversation with Gwen about the thrusters on one of the Away Vessels.

Jack smiled softly as he watched his daughter laugh.

"Suzie" Ianto called out, the woman turning to face him as he asked "Gonna test that new thruster array on the remote vessel tomorrow. Want to pilot it for me while I do the numbers with Toshi?"

Her face lit up, straightening in her chair as she was offered a treat Ianto usually coveted himself. He knew she wanted it, had always liked remotes and she nodded with glee as he finally gave her more responsibility.

Mica had the baby, his smile a softer one as he stroked her face with little fingers and babbled, loving her as she loved him back and David leaned over to cluck.

Rhiannon looked over and sighed.

Like Alice, she had wanted more too.

Still.

There was time for all things.

No need to be jealous.

.

.

.

.

So ends this one. Short and sweet.


End file.
